Sunday Reflections

We are all called to be prophets – those who speak for God to his people.  Ezekiel was a reluctant prophet.  St.

In the gospels we see the healing touch of Jesus.  Usually He touched someone, but on other occasions someone reached out and touched Him, and on a few occasions He healed ‘from a distance’.  Our gospel dramatically bears witness to the healing power of Jesus.  Jesus continues to heal and raise up, but often these healing graces and powers are curtailed because we fail to seek them out – perhaps out of ignorance or fear, or feeling our unworthiness, or doubting God’s love for us.  I am sure we are all in need of healing – physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  It

The Constitutions of the Congregation of the Resurrection demand faith from its members, when it states, “By our vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, we dedicate and consecrate ourselves totally to the Risen Christ in the religious life.  This dedication entails an act of faith whereby we respond to God’s call to give ourselves completely with all our talents, abilities, and powers to him, to the church, and to the Congregation” (article #13). 

I remember being in grade school (a former millennia) and we were asked to bring in a jar and paper towels for we were going to plant peas.  Put the paper towel in the jar and carefully place the peas in between the towels and the jar so you can see them.  Then add water and wait and wait and wait.  It seemed like an eternity, especially as a child.  I would go to the jar several times a day to see if anything was happening.  Then came the weekend.  On Monday when I went to school voila, the seeds began to sprout.

We see the making of well-intended promises in the Last Supper in Mark’s gospel. Earlier in Mark (chapter 10), James and John have boldly asked Jesus for seats at His right and left when He comes into His glory. Lest we think that these two disciples are the exception to the rule, Mark reports that all the other disciples were “indignant” when they found out what James and John had done. They wanted these seats for themselves!

In our human condition, relationships can often be a challenge.  Even though we may have love and respect for someone, there can still arise difficulties in communication.  These challenges can also influence our relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Doubts, fear or anger an cut off our communication with God.  However, God continues to reach out to us, bombarding us with opportunities for grace.  When I was a Novice in the Congregation of the Resurrection, we made The Spiritual Exercises of St.

The setting of the Gospel passage today is when Jesus is sharing His “last discourse” or His last words with the disciples before He will lay down His life for them. Jesus speaks of how the disciples cannot “bear” all the information that will pertain to the future situations of their lives. It is suffice for them to know that Jesus will impart the Spirit to them, and that this Spirit will reveal to the disciples all the truth that they will need to know in their future situations as they arise.

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says to Romeo, as they separate until the next day: “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow….” Clearly, it is a sorrowful moment for anyone in love to be separated from the beloved for even a short time. The parting is sorrowful because there is something in the relationship that has come to an end.

The first article of the Resurrectionist Constitutions proclaim the unconditional love of God.  This truth is shared so beautifully in our readings this weekend.  Jesus speaks so eloquently, as God-made-man, about the love of the Father, and His love for us.  He fulfils His words that there is “no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”.  So great was His love for us, that He was willing to surrender His life on the cross.  This supreme act of love is the source of our joy.  This was the love that Peter proclaims in the First Reading, remind

It seems that in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul can't win.  He tries to join the apostles but they won't let him.  Then the hellenists try and kill him after hearing him speak. Rejected and persecuted, Paul goes on to become one of the greatest writers and supporters of Christ's mission the Church has ever known.  Paul's journey reminds us that Christ can speak to whomever he wants and equip them in whatever way he sees fit to accomplish his mission in a collaborative way.